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    The Alston

    3.9 (78 reviews)
    Closed 4:30 pm - 10:00 PM

    The Alston Photos

    Business Info

    THE ALSTON ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Happy hour specials
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - The Alston

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    Dining room area with almost floor to ceiling windows and small table spaces.
    Sue L.

    Located near State and Chicago, this brand new seven month restaurant is well decorated with intimate and large tables. The gilded room is for large parties. The wood work, soft lighting, floor to ceiling windows, and chandeliers add elegance to the dining room areas. I ordered the Chicag Restaurant Week dinner special. I upgraded $20 for the steak. The wait staff were friendly and attentive and knew the menu well.

    Mushrooms
    Eris T.

    A Stunning Setting That Struggled to Deliver I so wanted to absolutely love this place. We dined at Alston with a party of four for a 5:30 PM dinner reservation. We were seated right on time, and from the moment we walked in, everything looked like a five-star experience. The attention to detail--from the floors to the ceiling, the elegant décor, the lighting, even the restrooms and personalized candles--was truly stunning. Visually, Alston delivers luxury in every sense. But unfortunately, the beauty didn't quite extend to the full dining experience. Let's start with the food. While some dishes shined--the New York strip was cooked to perfection and the potatoes au gratin, though extremely salty, were rich and flavorful--many others fell flat. In fact, several dishes were overly salted, to the point that it masked the ingredients and dulled the overall flavor. The lobster bisque which we all got was one of these dishes. Although very nicely presented and served it was overly salted and very curry forward. The mushroom side was underwhelming, and the Caesar salad was especially disappointing. Instead of a shareable plate, it was literally an intact head of lettuce--not exactly practical for a table of four hoping to enjoy a classic dish. The service also left much to be desired. While it started out promising, things took a noticeable turn as the restaurant got busier. Our server missed two of the appetizer dishes we ordered, and while we initially thought he was pacing them with the meal, it became clear he simply forgot. We didn't see him for a full 25 minutes, and it was the manager who ended up checking in with us. To top it off, we were charged for one of the missing appetizers on the final bill. The manager did take care of our check and adjuster bill accordingly. That was greatly appreciated. Two highlights - a complimentary bread service, and complementary beverage when you first sit down at the table; which were a thoughtful and tasty touch. To be fair, Alston is still relatively new, and some bumps are to be expected. But with the elevated price point and luxury aesthetic, expectations are understandably high--and unfortunately, they weren't fully met. It's a gorgeous space with potential, but the experience needs to catch up to the surroundings.

    Caviar bumps
    Sarah L.

    The Alston - truly exceeded my expectations for service, food, and ambience. Servers/chef were super accommodating to our dietary restrictions and were very knowledgeable about the menu. We were started with complementary bread and champagne (and ended the meal with another!) Staff was super attentive and checked in frequently. Overall food was really great, I especially loved the steak burger! I also liked that you can get caviar bumps instead of committing to a full ounce or more, and I enjoyed it with the rye bread. I wasn't a fan of the "Caesar" salad which was just a head of lettuce with whole anchovies laid over. It had a vinaigrette dressing instead of a traditional Caesar dressing but our server did mention this beforehand. Everything else was great and I'd definitely come back!

    Brandy S.

    If you're looking for an unforgettable dining experience in Chicago, look no further than The Alston. From the moment you step inside, the interior immediately sets the tone--elegant, moody, and effortlessly sophisticated. The service? Impeccable. The wait staff was knowledgeable, attentive without being overbearing. The Bar Manager even took time to get us a tour of the Members only section. It was so elegant and luxurious. We started with a caviar bump, followed by escargot, which both were perfection. The Baked Scallop Saint Jacques was a rich, velvety delight--beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. For mains, the Filet Mignon was cooked flawlessly. The Boeuf Pithivier--a flaky, golden pastry filled with tender, flavorful beef--was an absolute standout, both in taste and presentation. On the side, the wood-fired asparagus added a lovely smoky char that complemented both mains. From start to finish, The Alston delivered an exceptional evening and you should definitely add it to your list! Food: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Atmosphere: 5/5

    Bread service
    Eda X.

    The Alston serves a steakhouse grade burger right! From the high quality beef patty, firm brioche bun, shoestring truffle fries to a very flavorful sweet onion, I truly believe they have knocked it off the charts. The waiters here are amazing--extremely attentive to filling your water glasses. You will certainly leave well hydrated. Beautiful steakhouse. Amazing service and trendy instrumental music.

    Rie U.

    TLDR: This review is for the NOT steak dinner that was pretty great otherwise. We came here for the steak and we didn't get it bc the server forgot to bring our steak--but we got an amazing Duck Press dinner which ended up being more than enough for the two of us... but our gluttonous fat child inside still wanted the dry-aged steak, dammit! We were also seated at first right next to the kitchen in a corner, which kind of sucked, bc it was so loud. (I usually don't care about seating, but constant loud ambient noise makes it hard to hear conversations so we asked to be moved to a better seat that was more date night appropriate.) Don't get us wrong, our server was super friendly and sweet but she forgot several more things here and there throughout the night (e.g. cocktail, pre-alcohol, etc.) and the business just didn't seem to be running smoothly--yet. The manager (?) came over several times to check in, and brought us a welcome drink bc we probably were seated for 15-20 min before our sever came over with our dinner menus. We thought the Seared Foie Gras was pretty good, but a little cold, and the escargot was a little too salty (but the puff the individual puff pastry was a nice touch, instead of the classic en croute). The Duck Press (very Paris 1906-esque from Chef Achatz) is definitely a show stopper and absolutely worth getting, but our duck legs were cold; the duck breast was perfect!! Would absolutely order again...and again! The Scallops were tasty but didn't realize they were going to be cooked. Oysters were excellent, but wouldn't expect otherwise from a steakhouse at this caliber. Also, oddly loved their really long fries! It's like when you get that one long fry, except it's every single one of them. Am I the only one who gets a kick out of that? Whatever. We would love to come back for the dry-aged ribeye but, we had a pretty great wet-aged ribeye at Joe's Seafood (unexpectedly) the following night for really reasonable price, so we're not in a big rush to return. Definitely would love to see them succeed and would love to return when they're up and running smoothly.

    Menu
    Aly M.

    Beautiful luxury space in high end location. Comfy, cozy and full of energy when you walk in. The service was excellent. The servers know the menu very well and are knowledgeable on the preparation and source of items. Everything I tried was excellent.

    Martini
    Olivia E.

    Great atmosphere, service, and food/drinks. No complaints. I ordered a steak and it was cooked to perfection.

    Crab legs and  oysters  with Mac and cheese
    Daidra M.

    Went to the Alston last evening and was blown away by the staff, amazing food and classy and modern ambiance of a French influenced speakeasy Cozy feel with rich textures surround you while you experience fine dining. The waitstaff is knowledgeable and impeccable with speed and service From the bread that was specially cut at the table, to fresh oysters, crab legs, and scallops .... I could barely make it to the trout (which was also fantastic)! And don't miss the lobster bisque-the best I have ever experienced in my entire life Thank you for an amazing culinary journey awaiting my next visit

    Tara L.

    found this place while looking for a good steakhouse in chicago loved the atmosphere the first thing you do on the way to your table is pick a votiv to set your mood. i picked the lotus first place ive ever been to where they cut your bread tableside. such an interesting thing to do just to elevate your experience. we got: seafood tower, which is kind of basic but i love shellfish so definitely tastty crab cakes, loved all the garnishes that came with it house salad, large and filling and can definitely be shared potato gratin & asparagus, sides. waiter also added on brussel sprouts for us, which turned out to be superb. and i got the center cut filet, which was thick and fat but still super tender and juicy i was also glad for such a high end restaurant, that they actually have yeungling. i had been searching for the beer since we got to chicago, since we dont have it where we're from. for dessert we got the basque, and i loved that it was a real basque. ive been to places where it said they had basque but then it just turned out to be a regular cheesecake. i would definitely go back here again.

    Jessie M.

    Great ambiance, perfect for date night! Service was good, not amazing, but it was very crowded. Now the food, it was ok. Maybe we went on am off night, but no dish was outstanding. Presentation also left something to be desired.

    Trout

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    5 months ago

    Amazing service, delicious food and wine, special experience. Highly recommend for an unforgettable dinner!

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    3 months ago

    Outstanding food outstanding prices service is the best ambience couldn't get any better

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    Ask the Community - The Alston

    Is it preteen-age kid friendly?

    Don’t think kids would appreciate such a fine dining experience unless they are used to upscale restaurants

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Shaw's Crab House - Oysters, East coast

    Shaw's Crab House

    4.2(2.8k reviews)
    0.4 miNear North Side
    $$$

    Shaw's Crab House | Chicago's ultimate happy hour just got a major upgrade!…read more Sip on a savory $10 Mignonette Martini or a crisp $7 Wine of the Month. Treat yourself to $15 mini lobster rolls on pillowy, buttery brioche. Turn up the heat with crispy buffalo shrimp tossed in signature blue cheese. Live large with the $57 Happy Hour Tower loaded with fresh oysters and lobster tails! Shaw's Crab House | 21 E Hubbard, Chicago | Happy Hour: Mon-Fri 4-6pm

    (Kari's Rating 8/10)…read more Came for an early dinner as we were seated by 5:30. I actually love coming to eat early because the servers are a little more attentive since they just started their shift and the service is a little faster as there are less tables. Let me tell you, though, whatever we came it was quite busy with graduations and family dinners-which I didn't mind at all! What ate a relatively large meal as I had eaten a smaller lunch. We started off with the wedge salad and a yellowtail sushi roll. The wedge salad was pretty average, but the dressing was really delicious. The yellowtail was also pretty good and the jalapeño topping gave an extra kick last minute. For the entrées, we ordered the scallops as well as the pan seared Chilean Seabass. The scallops are buttery, rich, and had a perfect crispy crust. The Seabass was flaky and light-overall a very good combination of flavors. We got a side of the broccolini and then the crème brûlée and a piece of Keylime pie to go. Overall a very filling and delicious meal-I was pleasantly surprised with the scallops and how light the sea bass was.

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    Shaw's Crab House - Inside main dining room

    Inside main dining room

    Shaw's Crab House - Full Dozen Oysters

    Full Dozen Oysters

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    Lobster Roll

    Bar Mar

    Bar Mar

    4.3(639 reviews)
    1.0 miThe Loop
    $$$

    After years of driving by and seeing the hanging octopus I finally stopped in to celebrate a…read morefriends birthday!! A seafood birthday dinner has become her tradition, can't say I'm upset about this!! We started off with drinks! Two of us got the Floral Cloud and the other two got the salty air margarita! The salty foam (replacing the traditional salt rim) was perfection!! The presentation of the floral cloud was so cute! For starters we got the patatas bravas, 10/10 would recommend!! The sauce was delicious!! I personally got the poke bowl, it was love at first bite!! While it may not look like a huge portion I was only able to finish 3/4 of it. Shared with the after in an attempt to save room for dessert!! Two of my friends got the scallops and the other got the lobster roll. Scallops were delicious, they shared a bite with me! The lobster roll left me a bit unsatisfied. While it had plenty of meat it lacked lasting flavor!! Now let's talk about the MVP's of the night- Dessert! HIGHLY recommend the key lime pie if you're a fan! It also includes some of that salt foam! The sticky toffee was a huge hit at our table!! And the passion fruit in the flan was a very yummy add on!! Our server was the best!! She was so lovely and made excellent recommendations!!

    We loved this place! We initially thought we would be sitting looking at the river but it's a bit…read morefarther in and we couldn't see the river from our table but no big deal. The ambiance was beautiful, our waiter was so kind, and the service was great. The waiter misheard my order so I didn't get my right entree the first time but they were super kind, quick, and accommodating to bring out my correct order. The food was AMAZING! We shared the tuna tartar as an appetizer and it was one of the best things i've tried! The presentation was also so fun and pretty, served inside a coconut with plantain chips on the side. I ordered the lobster roll and it was so so so amazing, definitely best i've ever had. The bun was toasted and buttery and the lobster filled with flavor.. I could eat 5 of them!! They also had brought seasoned corn nuts to the table when we were seated and salted caramels for dessert, both fun and yummy. Would recommend to anyone looking for a bit of a nicer dinner in Chicago. We had a reservation on a Saturday night and it looked like the place was full, we were glad we had one and got seated right away.

    Photos
    Bar Mar
    Bar Mar
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    The Alston - steak - Updated July 2026

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